SamPWoo.com – I’ve received a pretty large response to my latest blog, regarding Jeff Carter’s hit on Anssi Salmela in Monday’s game, so here’s my response to all of you who were gracious enough to write in. You can read the e-mails
HERE:
Look. I’m not trying to be “homerific,” as I was called by one kind Flyers fan.
I’m not saying that the hit wasn’t clean or, for that matter, that there was any part of the hit that was illegal. There wasn’t. It was a clean hit on a player that was, unfortunately, in a vulnerable position.
But that’s just it. The player was in a vulnerable position making the hit, no matter how clean, a dangerous hit.
Unfortunately, a lot of these hits happen to occur when the Flyers are involved. Physical play is engrained in the fabric of this team and with physical play sometimes comes reckless play and that’s exactly what this hit was — reckless.
I don’t think that it was pre-meditated. I don’t think that Carter’s intent was to injure Salmela and I honestly do believe that he feels remorseful about the hit.
But here’s where the recklessness comes into play.
One of the justifications for the hit was “If there is a rebound and Salmela puts it in, it’s Carter’s fault for not hitting him.”
That just isn’t true.
If there’s a rebound and Salmela puts it in, it isn’t Carter’s fault for not hitting him; it’s Richards’ fault for not tying up his stick and allowing him a second chance. It was Richard’s man.
This hit was so reckless because of the fact that Carter didn’t need to hit him to prevent him from scoring. Richards was right there with him and could have easily tied him up to prevent the rebound from coming home.
My point in all of this is that it wasn’t an illegal hit. By the letter of the law, it was 100% legal. But that doesn’t mean it was a clean hit.
After the puck was in the net, Salmela was in a dangerous position, with his back to Carter, with another player draped on him.
There was absolutely no reason to hit him — especially not that viciously.
That was my point. Not that the Flyers suck or that the Flyers are a dirty team or even that Jeff Carter should be drawn, quartered, and suspended for life.
My point was that the league needs to come down on these types of hits firmly. They need to do away with headshots or dangerous hits like these. Trust me, I am all for a physical brand of hockey, but only if it is done responsibly. Where is the respect for the player and the game?
Unfortunately, it’s likely going to take someone getting seriously injured, or even death, before the league decides to take any sort of action on anything like this, especially when a star player involved.
Hockey Primetime's Three Stars of the Night (2.10.2010)
NY Daily News should be informed that the Devils don't play at the Izod Center
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
E-mail: [email protected]
New Jersey Devils Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»